Key Takeaways
- The seasons at a glance
- Month by month
- Festivals worth planning around
- If you are coming for ancestral rites
In This Article
October to March is the best time to visit Haridwar: dry, cool, and comfortable for the long walks the ghats and hill temples involve. April to June is hot, often above 40°C. July to September is the monsoon, when the Ganga runs high and the Kanwar Mela fills the city. Rites are performed year round, and ours are on the Asthi Visarjan in Haridwar page.
The seasons at a glance
| Season | Temperature | What it is like |
|---|---|---|
| Winter, Nov to Feb | 5°C to 22°C | The comfortable season. Cold mornings at the ghat, clear days |
| Spring, Mar to mid-Apr | 15°C to 30°C | Pleasant. Navratri and Ram Navami fall here |
| Summer, May to Jun | 25°C to 40°C+ | Hot. Early morning and evening only |
| Monsoon, Jul to Sep | 24°C to 33°C | Humid, heavy rain, the river high and fast |
Month by month
- January. The coldest month, 5°C to 20°C. Clear and dry. Good for temples, cold at dawn on the ghat steps.
- February. Warming slowly, 8°C to 24°C. One of the best months to come.
- March. 13°C to 29°C, comfortable throughout. Holi falls in February or March.
- April. 18°C to 35°C. Still manageable, but the afternoons are turning.
- May. 24°C to 39°C. Early morning and after dusk only.
- June. 26°C to 38°C with the monsoon arriving late in the month. Humid.
- July and August. Peak monsoon. Heavy rain, the Ganga high and fast, and the Kanwar Mela brings very large crowds.
- September. The rain easing, 23°C to 32°C. The river still high.
- October. 17°C to 31°C. The season opens. One of the best months.
- November and December. 8°C to 27°C, dry and clear. Excellent for walking the ghats.
Festivals worth planning around
- Holi, February or March. Celebrated across the city.
- Chaitra Navratri, March or April. Nine nights, with Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi especially busy.
- Ram Navami, March or April. Closes Chaitra Navratri.
- Ganga Dussehra, May or June. Marks the descent of the Ganga and is one of Haridwar’s own major days.
- Kanwar Mela, July and August. Among the largest gatherings anywhere. Kanwariyas collect Ganga water at Har ki Pauri and carry it on foot. The city becomes extremely crowded and road access is restricted.
- Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh. Haridwar is one of the four Kumbh cities. The Purna Kumbh falls every twelve years and the Ardh Kumbh every six.
If you are coming for ancestral rites
Asthi Visarjan, Pind Daan, Shradh and Tarpan are performed at Haridwar year round, and the season matters less than the tithi. Most families come in the cooler months because the rite begins early and involves standing at the water.
Pitru Paksha falls in September or October, at the end of the monsoon and the start of the good season, which is why it is the busiest ritual period of the Haridwar year. Kankhal, where many of the rites are performed, has its own character and we cover it in our Kankhal ghat guide.
🕉️ Book ancestral rites at Haridwar
- Asthi Visarjan, Pind Daan, Shradh or Tarpan
- Pandit assigned before you travel
- All puja samagri included
- Performed at Har ki Pauri or Kankhal
How long to stay
Two days covers Har ki Pauri, the evening aarti, and Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi by ropeway. A third day allows Kankhal, Sapt Rishi and Rishikesh, which is twenty kilometres upstream. Families performing rites should allow an extra morning.
Common questions
What is the best month?
October, November, February and March. Dry, mild, and comfortable for walking.
Is the monsoon worth avoiding?
For comfort, yes. The ghat steps are slippery and the river runs fast. For rites, it is workable if the tithi requires it.
Can we attend the Ganga aarti any evening?
Yes, it is performed every evening at Har ki Pauri at dusk. Arrive an hour early for a place on the steps. Our Ganga aarti guide covers the timings.
Planning the visit
If the trip is for ancestral rites, fix the date with us first and plan the rest around it. Packages are on our Asthi Visarjan in Haridwar page.
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Authentic ceremonies performed by Veda-trained pandits at sacred sites across India.
